“Evira also cautioned that just because youcast it out, it doesn’t mean the threat is vanquished. The fact that you, of all beings, were targeted is deeply concerning. So is the fact that itresembled the Mark of Draco. And that Ambrose has discovered a destabilization to the balance.”
I sucked in a breath at his sharp—almost stabbing—words.
Words that definitely couldn’t be denied.
And I wouldn’t… I couldn’tdenythem.
I’d made a promise to myself that I’d step up.
But that needed to be done carefully. Or it could damage so much. And so many.
Although I’d heeded Evira’s words and hadn’t isolated myself or pulled away, I still wouldn’t allow them to be impacted by me and what I was.
I just had to do itwiththem and not lone-wolf it, which as Evira had rightly pointed out, would only serve to hurt all of us in a whole other way.
“For something to impact the likes of me, we’re talking about either a colossal concentration of black magic, or Celestial power. Given the way I likened it to Draco, and you did also, it points more toward a Celestial source. But one deeply twisted and corrupted, because I’m obviously very familiar with how Celestial power feels and operates given that my father is an Immortal, Ketheron is my family, and I’ve spent my childhood around countless others too like Christalyn, Ariana, Jaxon, Cornelius. It could merely be somebody experimenting and testing the reach and potency of their power against a known force like me—death incarnate, unkillable, Sylas Morgrave’s progeny… that sort of thing. Or there could be more to it. And the balance destabilization… it could actually be me. My existence… maybe hitting a certain age is a factor.”
“No. You’re not the cause of any destabilization, Win. You’re a force of good. Don’t even go there. Also,destabilization to the balancecould mean anything. Like a slight thing or even something temporary.”
“I mean… yeah, that’s technically true.”
“Right. Now, if the experimentation aspect is the case, it’s gotta be one of the Celestial children—well, they’re all grown up now—causing trouble. Those who don’t live at the community that is Haven Initiative anymore, or attend academies and shit like Christalyn does,” Zayn pointed out.
“Yes,” I confirmed. “And it comes at a good time if that is the case, because Ariana, Ketheron and Father are conducting their annual check-in on all of the Celestial children, per Guardian Movement protocol. We’ll know if something is amiss soon enough.”
“And if the source is not one of them?” Vax pushed. Because, of course, he felt like he had to. He was safeguarding us.
“Then when the check-in is done in a few days, I’ll go to Ketheron. His knowledge base when it comes to these sorts of things is virtually unmatched. If I go to him now, I’ll be arriving right in front of Ariana and Father, and it’ll convey urgency and raise alarms.”
“Maybe that’s the best idea,” Zayn said.
“What?”
“Then they’ll be informed. And Sylas will know. It was clear to me from how he was talking about your upcoming training that he knew fuck all about your glitching issues, Win.”
I scrubbed my hand over my face. “He couldn’t know about that.”
“Why not? Believe me, your entire family is more involved in your life than you even realize. Velra was hererecreatingthe circumstances of Vaxan’s attack, because from my call to Sylas, it had them realizing that Vaxan meant something to you. That’s how much they care about you and what you want and need.”
Vax eyed me.
“You see?” I said. “That sort of thing is why I kept the glitching off their radar.”
“I do see, yes.”
“What are you talking about?” Zayn asked. “Sylas can be intense, yeah. But when it comes to you, he wouldn’t do anything detrimental, no matter what.” He stared at me for several moments. “You think he’d lock you down until this threat is resolved? Is that it? He wouldn’t go that far. The way he was talking about you, about us, the way he handled the whole complicated mess of you and me… that’s your fear talking, not the reality of him.”
“My fear? You mean what had been my reality for twenty years—right up until a few weeks ago? Coming to Loxley Academy is the longest I’ve been away from my family home, and properly out in the world.”
“Exactly, Win.”
“Exactlywhat?”
“Youareout of the family home now. You’re on your own doing your thing. What I saw of your family dynamic when I was living with you guys for a while, the overprotective and kind of suffocating nature of it that you felt, it’s over with now.”
“Zayn, even now, there’s the condition of me becoming my dad’s apprentice. Not to mention what you yourself just told us—that my family is still hovering.”
“I told you that to show how much they actually care about you and value and support your choices.”
